Calluna plant named ‘K6322’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calluna  plant named ‘K6322’, characterized by its compact and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal and lateral branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit; thick squarish branches; green-colored leaves that become light yellow in color during the autumn and winter; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calluna vulgaris.

Cultivar denomination: ‘K6322’.

CROSS REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Calluna Plant Named ‘K6300’

Applicant: Hendrick Cozijn Hoekert

Filed: Concurrently with this application having application Ser. No. 13/998,438

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calluna plant, botanically known as Calluna vulgaris and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘K6322’.

The new Calluna plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright Calluna plants having thick squarish branches and attractive leaf color.

The new Calluna plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2005 in Wezep, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Calluna vulgaris identified as code number K5048, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calluna vulgaris identified as code number E5025, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calluna plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Wezep, The Netherlands in September, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calluna plant by cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Wezep, The Netherlands since September, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Calluna plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calluna have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘K6322’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘K6322’ as a new and distinct Calluna plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal and lateral branching habit; dense and bushy         appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Thick squarish branches.     -   4. Green-colored leaves that become light yellow in color during         the autumn and winter.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calluna differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calluna are more uniform than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calluna have thicker branches than plants         of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Calluna differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calluna have squarish branches whereas         plants of the male parent selection have round branches.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Calluna become light yellow in         color during the autumn and winter whereas leaves of plants of         the male parent selection do not change color during the autumn         and winter.

Plants of the new Calluna can be compared to Calluna vulgaris ‘K6300’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently having application Ser. No. 13/998,438. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calluna differ from plants of ‘K6300’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calluna are shorter than plants of ‘K6300’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calluna are not as freely branching as         plants of ‘K6300’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Calluna become light yellow in         color during the autumn and winter whereas leaves of plants of         ‘K6300’ become greyed orange in color during the autumn and         winter.

Plants of the new Calluna can be compared to the plants of Calluna vulgaris ‘Nr 580’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,530. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Wezep, The Netherlands, plants of the new Calluna differed primarily from plants of ‘Nr 580’ in branch appearance as plants of ‘Nr 580’ had round branches.

Plants of the new Calluna can be compared to the plants of Calluna vulgaris ‘Nr 5157’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,529. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Wezep, The Netherlands, plants of the new Calluna differed primarily from plants of ‘Nr 5157’ in branch thickness as plants of ‘Nr 5157’ had thinner branches than plants of the new Calluna.

Plants of the new Calluna can also be compared to the plants of Calluna vulgaris ‘Nr 5163’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,527. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Wezep, The Netherlands, plants of the new Calluna differed primarily from plants of ‘Nr 5163’ in leaf color as leaves of plants of ‘Nr 5163’ did not change color during the autumn and winter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calluna plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calluna plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical plant of ‘K6322’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The above-mentioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer and early autumn in 13-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Wezep, The Netherlands and under cultural practices which approximate commercial Calluna production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 17° C. Plants were two years old when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calluna vulgaris ‘K6322’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Calluna             vulgaris identified as code number K5048, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Calluna             vulgaris identified as code number E5025, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 60 days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 50 days             at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 70 days             at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form, plant and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen             subshrub; compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal and lateral branching habit             with about 34 branches developing per plant; dense and bushy             appearance.         -   Plant height.—About 17.6 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 19.3 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Internode length: About 1 mm. Shape: Squarish             appearance. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly             spreading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing:             Close to 145A to 145B. Color, mature: Close to between 161A             and 164D.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple; sessile.             Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Decurrent. Margin: Entire. Venation             pattern: Pinnate; inconspicuous. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; luster, glossy. Color:             Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B;             towards the apex, close to 154C. Fully expanded leaves,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 154C to 154D; venation,             close to 154C to 154D, during the autumn and winter, leaves             become close to 3A to 3B in color. -   Flower description: Flower initiation and development have not been     observed on plants of the new Calluna. -   Garden performance & temperature tolerance: Plants of the new     Calluna have been observed to have good garden performance and to be     tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about −20° C.     to about 35° C. Plants of the new Calluna are hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zone 5. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calluna plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calluna plant named ‘K6322’ as illustrated and described. 